Archive for November, 2007

No, they are not. The footwear a golfer chooses to wear can be practically anything from moccasins to a good athletic shoe. A golfer’s footwork is more important than his or her choice in footwear.

But, the shoe a golfer wears should be comfortable on his or her feet. There is nothing worse for a golfer than an uncomfortable shoe. If the toes are pinched, or the back rides up on the heel, the golfer will be miserable and will not be able to concentrate on playing golf, which is why he or she is on the golf course in the first place.

So, comfort comes first. After comfort, traction is important. This is because the golfer can’t have their feet turning after they have struck the ball. If this happens, the ball will careen wildly, most likely winding up as a major league slice or hook. The ball, though, will not go where the golfer had planned to hit it.

Should a golfer choose to forego golf shoes for another type of footwear, he or she should think about the type of shoe he or she wants to wear on the links. They should then examine the tread pattern on the bottom of the shoe. If the bottom of the shoe is slick, with no pattern at all, it would be a good idea to leave these shoes behind as there will be little, if any traction, and none at all if the course is wet, either from rain or dew.

What is the best type of tread pattern? Again, this will be up to the individual golfer and his or her preferences. For some, the old tire tread pattern (used on the sole of a lot of boots and sandals) works well. This type of shoe sole will provide traction for the golfer.
Some may prefer a circular pattern of sole, while others may like something entirely different.

The most important thing, though, is for the golfer to be comfortable and confident with the shoes being worn when playing. In fact, the less a golfer thinks about shoes when playing is a good thing.

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The fundamentals of golf are very different than many other sports. Take baseball for example; when you are up at bat to make your swing, your job is to hit the ball as its thrown to you. In other words, the game is built around your reaction towards what someone else is doing. You cannot make your move until the pitcher throws the ball to you.

In golf, however, you are the boss. You are in charge of making every move. The ball just sits there, waiting for you to make your shot. And you are 100% responsible for every play that happens. You cannot blame a bad play on a pitch, another teammate, or any other excuse.

This is what makes golf so difficult, and yet so challenging and fun to play. And on top of that, you have people watching you, all in complete silence. Talk about the need for focus!

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